Losing You
by vampirediva07
Summary: The long awaited sequel to One Day, One Love, One Lifetime as promised. What happens when Grace  Elizabeth Turner is lost and meets someone who will change her life? Will she ever find her parents again or will she find the one who completes her?
1. Lost

"Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me."

Grace Elizabeth Turner stood at the front of _The Empress_, ready for adventure. She was nine-years-old and knew everything there was to know about pirates. After all, her parents were Will and Elizabeth Turner. Her father was the former Captain of _The Flying Dutchman_ and her mother, the Pirate Lord of the South China Sea and Pirate King of the Brethren Court. Her uncle was also Captain Jack Sparrow of _The Black Pearl_. Pirate was everything in her world. For as long as she could remember she had always been at sea at least once a year. It was family tradition to sail together on her mother's ship. Her older brother William, who was thirteen years old, had just began his sword training with a real sword with their father. Grace wanted to learn, but was confined to a wooden sword until her thirteenth birthday. For now, she practiced daily with her own wooden sword, shaped after her mother's Jian. She preferred it to the Cutlass her father and uncle used. They were a respected family, albeit a pirate family, but respected nonetheless. Lost in her thoughts, Grace did not see her brother sneaking up behind her.

"BOO!" He grabbed her from behind.

"William! Put me down this instant!" She struggled in his grasp, but he was strong for his age.

"You'll never get away from me!" William loved to tease her.

"One of these days I'm going to be stronger than you!"

"I'd like to see that day. You're just a girl...and not even a whole girl at that!"

"William, put your sister down. You know she doesn't like that." Elizabeth walked towards her two bickering children.

William obediantly put his sister down. Grace straightened her clothes and shoved her brother enough to move him aside. Finally, William left and went below deck to find his father. Grace returned to her spot overlooking the ocean. Her mother came and stood next to her, staring out at the same timeless waters. Standing next to one another, mother and daughter favored one another very much. However, Grace had her father's dark curls, the one difference between the two. Silence filled the space between Elizabeth and Grace, neither wanting to ruin the perfect, gentle lapping of the waves against the ship. Both were totally in love with the sea, Elizabeth from childhood and Grace practically from birth. It was something they enjoyed sharing with one another. The sea was perfect and timeless.

"Mother, why am I so different?"

"What ever do you mean Grace?"

"William said I'm not a whole girl. It's not normal for a girl my age to be out here like this, is it?" Grace's eyes gave away her emotions instantly to her mother.

"Grace, you are perfectly normal. Don't ever let your brother or anyone else ever tell you otherwise. Your father and I decided a long time ago, right after you were born, that we would let you make your own choices. I didn't want you to have to fight your parents for the things you wanted to do like I did." Elizabeth pulled her daughter close to her.

"You did?" Grace looked up at Elizabeth.

"My father insisted that I be raised as a proper young lady of society. I've always be fascinated by pirates, but was never allowed to act on my own accord. In the end, he realized that I had to make my own choice. I fell in love with your father more when he became a pirate himself in order to rescue me."

"I guess that it isn't so bad then. I'll eventually be able to beat William and any other boy who gets in my way!" Grace's mood bounced back in an instant.

Elizabeth went below deck, leaving Grace to her own thoughts. The little girl peered over the side of the ship and watched the waves lap against the side. Her mother was right, she did get to choose what she wanted to be. For as long as she could remember, she had always loved pirates. After all, her parents were two of the greatest pirates ever known on the seas. She wanted to follow in their footsteps and make them proud of her. A great ambition, considering she was only nine and had not even learned how to properly use a real sword, another fact her brother constantly taunted her about because he was allowed to use a real sword now. Although, Grace noted, it was definitely not his stongest suit.

As Grace continued to stare out at the sea, she found herself in a trance with the waves washing back and forth across her vision. Without realizing it, Grace found herself being lulled to sleep like she used to be when she was a baby. In an instant, she fell asleep and fell overboard. The water hit her face like ice and woke her up instantly. She swam to the surface and tried to call for help, but the water was so cold that it shocked her. _The Empress _continued to sail away at a speed that Grace could not keep up with. For hours after the ship had gone, she swam around the ocean in search and hope that someone would find her. Her strength was giving out. By nightfall, she found it near impossible to stay above water. She began to sink into the freezing water, thinking of her parents and her brother, the people she loved most. As she could feel death creeping on her, she was afraid that she would never see them again. Just as she thought she was going to give up, she felt someone pull her out of the water onto the deck of a ship. Upon hitting the deck, she fell unconscious.

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**A/N: Sorry this is so short, but this is just the beginning of what is to come. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Found

Grace woke in a very strange room. Nothing looked familiar to her. She sat up and continued to search for something she knew. When she began to look around, she remembered falling into icy water and feeling the sensation of drowning. Panic rose in her throat and her breathing rapidly increased. She felt her heart pounding in her ears. It was not a pleasant sensation. The room was dimly lit with a few candles and she was able to see the door. Instinctively, she got out of bed and went directly for the door. Just as she reached for the knob, it turned and she jumped back. The door opened to reveal a boy about her age. He was just as startled as she was.

"I was hoping that you would be awake."

"Who are you?" Grace had no clue who this boy was.

The two of them just stared at one another in shock. Grace noticed he was very tan, had dark brown messy hair, and piercing blue eyes. For another few moments, they just sat staring at one another not knowing who should speak first. It was an awkward silence until the boy decided to say something.

"My name is Bennett Jones, but my parents just call me Ben." He reached out his hand and helped her up.

"Where am I? I don't remember anything but falling into the water and almost drowning." Grace looked around her.

"You're on _The Flying Dutchman_ and you did almost drown. Luckily my mother found you and pulled you aboard."

"The...the..._The Flying Dutchman_? I thought only dead people came here!" Grace began to panic.

"Well...mostly dead people are here, but we rescued you before you could seriously be in trouble."

"So, what's going to happen to me now?"

"We're going to try and return you home. You're Will and Elizabeth Turner's daughter, aren't you?" They both sat down on the bed.

"I am. How did you know?"

"My father recognized you features as that of your parents. He knew them long ago, before you or I were ever born."

"How old are you?"

"I ten years old. How about you? I know almost nothing else about you other than who your parents are. What's your name?" Ben was curious about the girl they had rescued.

"My name's Grace Turner and I'm nine years old as well."

"It's very nice to meet you Grace."

"Who are your parents?" Grace's curiousity was peaked.

"Davy Jones and Tia Dalma."

"What?!" Grace could not believe her ears. "But my mum said that Davy Jones died many years ago...when my father was sentenced to this ship."

"He did, but my mum raised him because she could not bare to go on without him. About a year later, I was born."

"Does he still have..." Grace paused and whispered "tentacles on his face?"

"No..." Ben chuckled. "He's normal! Don't be scared."

"I'm not." Grace wanted him to know she could defend herself and not be scared.

"My father said we were going to try and find your ship to return you to your parents. For now, he told me that I could keep you company."

"Alright."

For the next few hours, Grace spent time getting to know Ben. He taught her how to play Liar's Dice and a few other games he knew. After a while, Ben took her up to the helm to meet his parents for the first time since she had woken up. The sea breeze was cool and refreshing to her face as they came out of the cabin. When she met Davy Jones, she was surprised that he really did look human. Tia Dalma was standing right next to him. They were quite the pair. Now Grace knew where Ben got his features. His dark skin and hair was from his mother and his brilliant eyes from his father. After meeting Ben's family, Grace and Ben went to the front of the ship to keep a weather eye on the horizon for ships. Tia Dalma and Davy Jones stood watching their son from the helm.

"I sense a deep friendship in our son and the girl." Davy mused.

"A special girl dat is." Tia Dalma nodded.

Grace and Ben watched the horizon until the moon was high into the sky. While standing together, they tried to count how many stars were in the sky. They got as far as two hundred and forty-nine before Tia Dalma insisted that they both go inside the cabin and rest. When they got inside, Ben showed Grace his collection of pearls that he had found in clams that he had caught since he was six. She was impressed by how beautiful each one was. They were proof of how beautiful the sea could be. A few hours later, both were chastised into going to bed. While lying in the dark, the two continued their conversation.

"Have you always grown up on this ship?" Grace was curious about her new friend's life.

"Yes. My parents love the sea so much. I guess that's where I get it from. What about you? Did you grow up on the ocean?"

"Not all the time. There are a few months when my family stays on land, but we never know when we're going to stop. My mother always wants to be sure my brother and I get every kind of experience, on land and sea."

"When we stop at ports, my father always insists that I go on land for a while. He sends me with my mother."

"Do you think we can find my family?" Grace changed the subject. "I've never been far from them longer than a few hours. Ben, I'm scared."

"It's alright Grace. If anyone can find your family, it would be my father. He's one of the best pirates in the world!"

"I hope you're right." Grace felt a cry coming.

A voice came from outside their cabin. "You two 'ad better be asleep by da time I git in there!"

"I think we should go to sleep before your mum gets angry."

"I agree. Goodnight Grace."

"Goodnight Ben."

Grace rolled over onto her side. Her thoughts were on her parents, who she was sure had noticed she was missing by now and were probably panicking at this very moment. She missed them so much, even her brother. A small tear creeped out of the corner of her eye and rolled across her nose to the pillow. More than anything else in the world, she wanted to go home to her mother, father, and brother. However, she couldn't show any weakness. It was not very pirate-like at all and simply would not do. Silently, she cried herself to sleep, vowing never to allow anyone to know that she was crying. What she didn't know was that Ben heard her muffled sighs and knew that she was upset. Inwardly, he vowed to help her find her family so that she would never have to cry again. What neither of them knew was an adventure lay before them and would take them to places they would never have dreamed of.

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**A/N: Sorry for the extreme lack of updates and a short chapter! College is crazy and this is my first year, so I'm adjusting. I promise a longer chapter next time! Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming.**


	3. Friendship

Grace stood at the railing of _The Flying Dutchman_ and watched the waves pass by. Her long chocolate curls flowing in the sea air and the spray of the ocean hitting her face was a wonderful way to begin her morning. The sun had just risen over the horizon and was warming the air around her. It was peaceful and quiet, just the way she liked it. Moments like this made her feel like she ruled the seas and that everything was at her command. It was beautiful and scenic, like nothing she had ever beheld before. While standing there, she did not notice a presence behind her.

"You are perhaps the earliest riser I have ever met." Ben stood behind her.

"I thought that by now you would know that. After all, we have been friends for ten years and you practically never leave my side."

"It's easier to protect you that way." Ben smiled.

"Protect me from what, may I ask?" Grace placed her hands on her hips.

"From whatever may climb aboard this ship intending to harm you."

"Ben, in the ten years I have been on this ship not a single thing has dared attack it. I believe that everything in the sea is controlled by your mother, therefore she would have ordered that nothing touch this ship." Grace shot an innocent smile back at him, knowing she had just crushed any of his little theories.

Ben shook his head and walked away. Grace smiled and turned back to the sea. She had been aboard _The Flying Dutchman _for ten years. Since she had fallen off her parents ship and been rescued by Ben and his family. Since then, they had been searching with no success for her family's ship. In those ten years, Ben had become her best friend. They talked about everything and had no secrets from one another. Also, his parents became her surrogate parents, loving her as if she were their own. No matter how much she cared for his family, she still could not stop missing her own. She missed them more than anything. There were times when she longed to show them how much she had grown in the last ten years. Not only had she learned sword-play, but how to control the helm of a ship. She was sure that they would be proud of her. The last ten years, Grace had grown into a woman of perverse strength and determination. At nineteen years old, she was well read and knew more than anyone twice her age.

Grace sighed and walked below deck to find Ben. Even at twenty years old, he was still the most stubborn boy she had ever known. All throughout their teenage years, he had always wanted to be the one to win their sword fights or arguements. Grace finally figured out that it was part of the male desire to dominate anything they participated in. Still, their friendship was special and held a special place in her heart. Even though he was stubborn, he had helped her through the hardest times of her life, when she missed her family the most. He had been the one to console her when she sat in a corner crying at sixteen years old when her first courses came. Though he did not understand what she was going through, he held her close anyways and told her that things would turn out alright. Since then, she had a whole new respect for her friend.

She found him in his cabin, sharpening one of his swords. When she walked in, he immediately set the sword aside and moved over so that she could sit down next to him. Once she was comfortable, she turned to face him.

"I'm sorry Ben, for my rude comment earlier. I know you just want to protect me and I respect and admire that." Grace was sincere in her words.

"Thank you. You know that I only say those things because I want you to know that I will protect you from anything that could attack, should something like that occur in the future."

"I know." Grace smiled.

"You're my closest friend Grace, and I would sooner die than have anything happen to you."

"And you are mine as well. I trust you more than anyone else. You've been the only one who has been there for me when I needed a friend most."

"Would you promise me something?" Ben took her hand.

"Anything."

"When we find your family and you return to them, please don't forget about me. It's a possibility that we might never see one another again after that day and..."

"I could never forget you! Besides, who ever said that I intended never to see you again? I fully intend to see you all the time when our ships pass one another." Grace butted in.

"Well, I just wanted to prepare for the worst thing that could happen."

"Don't even think of it! You're stuck with me Ben!" Grace laughed.

"Oh great..." Ben added his sarcasm and was immediately slapped on the arm.

"Bennett Davy Jones! You are so mean!" Grace squealed, smiling at him.

Ben and Grace parted in laughter and Grace returned to her own cabin. She sat down on her bed, thinking on the things Ben had said. How could he even think that she would forget him? He had been her best friend since they were children. All the good times they had shared with one another, getting into trouble in nearly every port they stopped in, learning sword fighting together, sharing pirate stories late into the night, counting the stars, and swimming in the beautiful sea. Even the bad times were memories with their countless fights, heated arguements, and apologies where she would cry. Ben was the only person she could cry in front of without embarrassment. He had never laughed at her when she cried. Instead, he would hold her and make things alright in the world again.

Grace thought of her friendship with Ben and how sad she would be if they were to never see one another again. What would happen once they did find her family? She couldn't bare the thought of never seeing her best friend after she returned to her own ship. It would be horrible to abandon someone who you have cared about and trusted with your life for ten years. She laid down and stared at the ceiling, wondering what she would do. As far as she knew, they still had time before they found her family. Grace just laid there, unable to fall asleep and unable to take her mind off her present problem. She thought of her parents, especially her mother. There had not been a day that went by where she didn't miss her. Tia Dalma had comforted her and been as much of a mother as she could be, but there was just a special connection missing that is present in mothers and daughters.

Her mother was exactly like her, strong, stubborn, and a mind of her own. Then there was her father, quiet and reserved. From her father, she was gifted with her natural curiousity and protecting those she loved no matter what. She remembered the stories he used to tell her every night before she would fall asleep. They were one of the things she missed most about her father. Finally was her brother, William. He was four years her senior, so now he would be twenty-three. Grace wondered what he looked like now and if he were married. She thought of how he was the last time she had seen him, all those years ago. It seemed like an eternity since she had last seen her family. There had been a time, two years ago, when they had almost caught up with her family in Tortuga, but barely missed them by a few hours. Davy Jones and Tia Dalma were no longer as powerful as they once were, so knowing exact location of the Turners was not possible. After just missing them, Grace cried for two days and refused to allow anyone in her cabin, except Ben.

_"Ben, how could we have just missed them? This is not fair!"_

_"Shh...it's alright. We will find them and you'll be able to go home. They'll be so happy to see you." _Ben held his arms tight around Grace, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder to cry.

_"I miss them all so much!"_

_"I would too if I were in your predicament."_

_"How do you always understand me when no one else does?" _Grace's tears started to dry.

_"I don't know. Just luck I guess."_

_"No. It's more than that."_

Their conversation ended there that night and neither had addressed the issue since then. It went unspoken that there was a connection between the two of them, but neither really understood how deeply it ran through their friendship. They had practically been connected at the hip since she arrived on _The Flying Dutchman _and placed in his care. It had felt like they had known one another for their whole lives instead of just half.

Grace rolled over on her side and finally allowed her exhaustion overcome her. As she drifted to sleep, she had no idea of what would lay in store for her and Ben. Their adventure had just begun...


	4. A Second Home Lost

"Grace." A harsh whisper filled the room from the doorway.

Grace stirred, still half-asleep and groggy. "What?"

"Grace...it's me, Ben. I need you to wake up quickly!"

"Alright, but this had better be good!" Grace sat up and began to wrap her blanket around her.

She walked over to her door where Ben was waiting for her. Slipping outside, she followed him up the stairs to the deck of the ship. He stopped right in front of her, almost causing her to collide into him. Grace was confused and did not understand his irrational behavior. Just as she was about to backhand him for waking her up in the middle of the night, she saw why he had. Just above the horizon danced the most beautiful blue, green, white, and purple lights. They flowed in a stream across the sky. Grace was astonished at how gorgeous that light could really be. It was truly a sight to see.

"Ben, how did you know about this?"

"My father used to tell me stories about the Northern Lights when I was a boy. He said I would know them when I saw them for the first time. Since then, I've come out here every night hoping to catch a glimpse of them. Tonight, I came out to find something I left on the deck and I saw them."

"They're beautiful."

The two of them stood and watched the pattern of lights dance across the sky for hours, entranced by how beautiful they were. Cautiously, Ben wrapped his arm around Grace. He was not sure how she would react. Surprisingly, she allowed him to and even snuggled closer to him. Ben smiled when she laid her head on his shoulder. She was his best friend and the only person he had ever trusted outside his parents. After a while, she fell back asleep and Ben just sat there, so not to disturb her. The sun began to rise over the horizon. Just below the sun, Ben spotted a ship. It did not look like another pirate ship. Gently, he roused Grace so he could summon his father. Rubbing her eyes, she saw the ship too. Ben disappeared below deck, but reemerged moments later with his father, Davy Jones.

"Ben..." Grace's voice was nervous.

"I see the ship."

"Do you see what colors it's flying?" Grace added.

"The East India Trading Company." Ben practically spit the words out in a disgusted manner.

"How is that possible? They were wiped out years ago, when I was an infant. My parents made sure of that."

"I'm not sure, but I'm about to find out." Ben jumped onto the railing of the ship and pulled down one of the lines for the sails.

"No Ben!" Tia Dalma stepped from behind the mast to see her son. "I will not 'ave ya goin' off to fight a fight that ain't yer's."

"I agree." Davy Jones piped in in his deep voice. "Get off the railing son!"

"But I'm ready to fight, you know I am!" Ben angrily jumped off the railing to the deck of the ship.

"I know ya are, but tink of Grace. If someting were to go wrong, who would be her friend?" Tia Dalma sought to remind her son of all that he had to lose.

Ben let the thoughts sink into his mind for a moment. "What if they come over and start fighting, what shall I do then?"

"That is why your mother and I are sending you away, with Grace. Both of you will be safer away from the ship. You're both far too young to lose your life for a cause not your own. This battle is between me and the man on that ship, no doubt a decendant or relative of one Lord Cutler Beckett."

"You're sending us away?! Where will we go? What about food and supplies?" Ben's mind was reeling at this point. "I'm twenty years old. I should fight for my family!"

"We've made sure there were supplies put into the dinghy long ago, when we knew that we would send both of you away should a conflict arise. There are plenty of islands for you to get to from here. Just row until you see land." Davy Jones showed Ben the dinghy with food, water, and other valuable supplies.

"How long will Ben and I have to be gone?" Grace finally said something after a long silence in disbelief.

"I'm not sure. We'll take _The Dutchman _and lead them as far away from both of you as possible before fighting. It could be a few days or a few weeks before we find you."

Grace nodded slightly. She knew it was useless to argue what had already been decided even though she could and was ready to fight. Ben did enough of that for both of them. Quietly, both of them gathered what clothing they could carry from their cabins. They climbed into the dinghy together and were lowered into the water. Ben took the oars and began to row away from the ship that had been his home for most of his life, leaving his parents behind to an unknown fate. He hated leaving them knowing that he could fight and help them, but was not allowed to. Even at twenty-years-old, he still respected his parents to comply with their wishes. Then he thought of Grace, who had hardly said anything during all that happened. He wondered what she was feeling right now, being dejected from another ship and another family. Both instances were unintentional and the first, an accident. However, he knew what kind of pain it caused her. She was exceptionally strong and an excellent swordsman, but he could sense she had another side of herself that she would not show even him.

He rowed in silence for a while until they discovered land. When they were close enough, he and Grace jumped out and pulled up the dinghy onto the sand. Ben surveyed their surroundings and judged that they were alone. Not knowing how long they would be there, they sought out a shelter of some sort. What they found was an overhanging rock with space large enough underneath for both of them. They brought their supplies from the dinghy to their temporary new home. They put things in somewhat of an order and began a fire to keep warm during the night. Grace sat on a rock and said nothing. It was the first time in a long time that she had ever remained silent for this long and that worried Ben. Cautiously, he sat down next to her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She said nothing more.

"You seem distant, not like yourself."

"I just lost my second home."

"I'm sure that things will end quickly and they'll return for us. You don't have to worry about that." Ben tried to remain calm for Grace's sake.

"You don't have to lie to me. I know that things are grim and the possibility of their return is not likely."

"Even if that happens, we'll be safe here."

"How do you know that? For all we know there could be...cannibals waiting to eat us on the other side of the island!" Grace stopped to laugh.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing. Just a story my Uncle Jack used to tell me and my brother when we were kids after he would get really drunk. My mum didn't like him telling us that too much, especially because he was drunk." Grace smiled at the memory.

"Jack Sparrow?"

"The one and only. When we would sail on my parents' ship, we would try and find _The Black Pearl _at least once to visit with the crew, who were like family to us."

Ben gave her a quizzical look of reproach.

"I told you I grew up around pirates. My mum and dad were two of the greatest."

"I know. I've heard all the stories from my dad. He said your father was the best he had ever fought, both in skill and honor."

"Can you believe he taught himself by practicing three hours a day and never intended to become a pirate in the first place?"

"No." Ben was surprised.

"Before I was even born, when he and my mum were younger, he was an apprentice for a blacksmith in Port Royal. When my mum was kidnapped by pirates, he went to save her, breaking several laws and resorting to piracy itself to rescue her."

"Your mum must be very special for him to do something like that."

"She is. There is no one like my mum."

"You must miss them so much."

"I do. Even my brother, who I thought I would never miss if we were separated. I wonder what he's like now. He's over twenty by now." Grace threw a few twigs into the fire to keep it going for a while longer.

"Grace, I still stand by the promise that I made you. We will find your family."

"I believe you." Grace paused. "Thank you Ben, for always being my friend."

"You're welcome."

Grace and Ben continued talking for a while longer, until it was well after dark. They found food and prepared their dinner before lying down to get some rest. Grace stayed awake, staring up at the stars. She wondered about her family and where they were. That had been the constant question on her mind for the last ten years. More than anything she just wanted to see them again and to be held by her parents. They had missed so much in the last ten years. Grace remembered when she was nine and going through one of her awkward phases in life, her mother said she would soon grow into her own body. She had been right. Through the past ten years Grace watched as her body grew taller and her hips developed. Even the shape of her face changed. It went from round and baby-like to oval and smooth. She wondered what her parents would think of her now, all grown up and on her own. Those thoughts drove her to sleep.

* * *

Elizabeth stood on the deck of _The Empress _alone, thinking about their journey. It had been ten long years since she and Will had lost their daughter. Since the moment they discovered her missing, they had not stopped looking for her. It had been an exhausting journey of disappointment because where ever they looked, they never found Grace. Each time they did not find her, Elizabeth felt her heart break all over again. Even though she was a Pirate Lord and King, she was first a mother and losing a child was like no other torture. Most of the time she blamed herself for not keeping Grace under more careful watch. Grace was her only daughter. 

She stood at the railing, watching the seas roll against the ship with tears streaming down her face. Her eyes so full of pain that it could make anyone feel what she was feeling just by looking. As she stood there, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. Looking up, she found Will behind her. He kissed her forehead softly. They had been together for many years and through so many things, but this was the most either of them had ever been through. Losing their daughter had not only taken a toll on Elizabeth, but Will as well. He felt even guiltier than Elizabeth because he could not protect their daughter.

"I miss her so much Will."

"I know."

"It's been ten years and we still haven't found her."

"Elizabeth, we will find her and when we do, things will be better. You'll see."

"I just wonder about so many things Will. How she's doing, how grown up she is, and if we'll even recognize her now."

"I'm sure we will. After all, you did give her life." Will kissed Elizabeth's lips softly.

"I know you're right."

Elizabeth and Will continued to look out to the sea, hoping to catch a glimmer of hope in finding their daughter. They hoped and prayed that she was safe and well. They had waited and searched relentlessly for ten years as a family, with their eldest child as well. William was not easily swayed to give up searching for his sister, venturing out on his own ship three years previous when he was twenty. Will and Elizabeth recieved word from him often of his travels and search. Recently he had run into Jack Sparrow in Tortuga, sending along greetings to his parents. Even Jack was involved in the search for Grace. All vowed to find her and bring her home to her family, where she belonged.

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**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates recently...college life takes over. I hope this is sufficient for now. More Will and Elizabeth in future chapters!**


	5. Time Together

A week passed on the island without any sign of ships on the horizon. With each day that passed, the chances of Davy Jones and Tia Dalma returning were slim. Ben and Grace made the best of their situation by creating a more sufficient shelter out of bamboo and huge palm leaves, using Ben's knowledge of knots and Grace's talent for weaving. It was not the most attractive house, but it kept the rain out and withstood the winds. For food, they would fish and try and gather as much fruit as they could find. Though it was not much, it sufficed for the both of them to not go hungry.

During the day, Ben would spend his time gathering wood and using an axe that he found in the boat they had escaped in to shave the wood down to planks. Grace had no earthly clue what Ben was doing, but assumed he was building a ship from the looks of things or adding onto the boat they had arrived in to make it more suitable for sailing. So, in order to occupy her own time, she wandered the beach, just thinking about things. While she was not happy to be on this island, she was glad to have Ben for company. In her heart, she could not deny that something was there for him, but she was not exactly sure of what it was. He was her very best friend in the world and was always there for her no matter what might occur. She thought about it as she walked the beaches alone, kicking sand around with her bare feet. Also on her mind was her family, like always. She missed them now more than ever before. She remembered her mother telling her a story of how she was stranded on an island with Uncle Jack. Her mother had also told her that an island is where she was left when Grace's father had to begin his ten year sentence as captain of _The Flying Dutchman_ long before Grace's birth. Grace could not begin to imagine the pain her mother went through without her father beside her.

As the sun began to set, Grace returned to their make-shift home to find Ben finishing his work for the day. The two of them began to make dinner together, chatting about their day and if they thought they would ever leave the island. They sat around the fire they had built, just talking and eating their food.

"I promise you that I will do everything within my power to get us off here." Ben was resolved and never broke his promises to Grace.

"I know that you will do your best." She smiled. "At least we have food and shelter while we are here."

Ben nodded.

"Do you think we'll ever find your parents or mine?" Grace drew patterns mindlessly in the sand with a twig near her foot.

"Perhaps, but only if we can find a suitable ship to sail on after we get off this island."

"By the looks of things, I'd say we're in the Caribbean, so Port Royal is nearby. My family lives there when they're not sailing the seas and there are plenty of ships in the harbors. One of them is bound to sail by this island sometime."

"If we're fortunate, your family might still be in Port Royal."

"I'm not sure they will be. My parents would not come home unless they found me. I still remember where we lived though. Perhaps some of the servants will still be there watching after the house."

"We can hope. For now, let's try and get off this island first." Ben set aside his food.

They were silent for a while, each focusing on something else entirely. Without her realizing it, Ben kept stealing glances at Grace. She was so beautiful. The light from the fire only enhanced her beauty by illuminating her long, chocolate curls and making her skin, darkened by the sun, glow. She looked like an angel sent from heaven. Never before had he realized how beautiful she truly was until this moment. Growing up with Grace, he never expected to feel like this when he was around her. They had always been close and constantly bickered with one another about the most ridiculous of things as children. Now they worked together in harmony, teaching one another how to survive on this island. Ben knew that once they were off the island, they could possibly find her family and she would go with them. He felt a twinge in his heart at the thought of losing Grace, even to her family. It was something he could not explain, nor did he want to express it to her for fear of her laughing at him. So he remained silent.

That night, after Ben had gone to sleep, Grace lay awake. She stared out into the night sky with the stars shining brightly above her. Her mind was racing in five million directions all at once and all of them about Ben. On one hand, she knew that she could not live life without him. Ben was like her oxygen, the reason she kept breathing. Yet, she knew that once she found her family that she would have to part from him. Her mother and father would most likely not approve of him because he was the son of their enemy. Though that enemy had raised her for ten years, she knew it would not matter. As pirates, Davy Jones was still their sworn enemy as he had almost killed Will. Grace began to think of what they would think as parents, separate and apart from their piracy. She knew her mother would most likely understand being in love with someone who is forbidden as she was with Will all those years ago. Grace had always been told that her grandfather did not like the idea of his daughter marrying a blacksmith turned pirate, but that her mother did not care because she loved Will. Perhaps she could appeal to her mother's heart with her own plight. With this idea in her head, Grace rolled over and finally went to sleep.

* * *

When the sun rose the next morning, Ben was no where to be found in their shelter. Grace got up and walked outside, scanning the shore to find him. She found him about a mile down the shore, sitting in the sand. Cautiously she approached him from behind and sat down in the sand next to him. He picked up a rock and threw it into the water, making a splash about a hundred feet off shore. Grace traced patterns in the sand with her finger, avoiding eye contact with Ben. After a while, she could not stand the silence and decided to say something.

"What are you thinking about so intently? Is something the matter?"

"Yes." He said nothing more.

"Will you tell me?" She stopped tracing patterns and looked up at him.

"The problem lies with you." He looked her in the eyes.

"Me? What have I done to injure you so?"

"It's nothing you've done. I fear it is in the future and what will happen later."

Grace remained silent, stunned by what Ben had just said to her, and just starred at the sand. He turned his body towards her and lifted her chin to raise her eyes to his.

"I fear that I might lose you once we find your family. I'm sure they will not wish for you to continue our friendship because of my parents, even though that was years ago and my parents are different people then they were."

"We share the same fear. I do not know how I'm going to live without you."

Ben leaned forwards and placed a kiss on her lips. A rush of emotion filled Grace and before he could move away, she pressed her lips firmly to his and would not let him go. It was her first kiss. Once she did let go, he sat back away from her for a moment to take in what had just occurred. She again gazed down at the sand, scared of his reaction to her own irrational actions. Instead, he lifted her chin again to make her eyes see his own. In hers, he saw insecurity and the need to be loved along with tears. He wiped them away with his fingers and took her hands into his own.

The rest of the day remained quiet between them as they sat on the beach together. He layed back in the sand and allowed her to lay on his chest. With each breath, his chest would rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern that was soothing to Grace. She listened to his heart beat softly in her ear. It was a perfect day just lying there in his arms. An unspoken peace settled between them as each knew what the other was thinking. Grace knew that if they were never found, she would be happy with just Ben. Yet, there was still the nagging want in the back of her mind for her family. She wanted them to see how much she had grown up and how happy she had been. More than anything, she wanted them to meet Ben-her very best friend who she loved more than life itself. Though she knew a lot of problems were on the horizon for them, she loved Ben and would do anything for him and she knew he would do the same. She did not know what their kiss had meant, but it was significant. For now, she was just happy to be with him on the beach.

**

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A/N: Wow...I have not updated this one in over a year...I apologize for that one. College life is hectic! Sorry this is a rather short chapter, but I promise to update with a longer one soon. Thanks for the reviews!**


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